Political Quotes

“I am opposed to H.R. 1833 because I oppose any legislation that fails to provide for the health concerns of the mother when she and her doctor believe that her health is in jeopardy. This legislation does not provide an exception for serious health risks to the mother. This procedure should only be used in cases where there is a serious risk to a woman's health and I believe the legislation could have been drafted to allow a limited exception for those cases in which it is truly necessary. In fact, Pennsylvania has such an exception in its abortion law. Under Pennsylvania law, all late-term abortions are prohibited, except in cases in which it is necessary to preserve the life of the mother or to 'prevent a substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.' Surely the supporters of this legislation could have written a health exception that would prohibit the procedure in most cases but that would allow women and their physicians, in the most limited and serious of cases, access to a procedure that will preserve both the life and health of the women involved. Further, I am opposed to this legislation because I believe that medical decisions of this nature should be left to trained medical professionals, in consultation with their patients. I do not believe that this legislation, which forecloses medical options for women, belongs before the Congress.”